Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Around 9:30 Tuesday morning a call came to Rutherford County Emergency Medical Services about an airplane that hit a hangar at the Smyrna Airport.

The public information officer at the airport told WGNS News that it was not a serious situation. She said the incident involved small private aircraft that were being moved around by mechanics inside a hangar when the "entanglement" occurred. There were no injuries.

The Smyrna Airport is the third largest in Tennessee. Only Nashville and Memphis International Airports are larger. It also has the distinction of being the busiest general aviation in the state.

Prior to March, 1971, it was known as Sewart Air Force Base and has capabilities to handle virtually any size of aircraft.

One of the two major runways is 8,048-feet and the other is 5,546-feet. The huge complex is on 1,700 acres of land.

FOLSOM - While the dramatic drop in the level of Folsom Lake is leading to unprecedented water restrictions downstream, it is also offering hope that the wreckage of a plane that crashed into the lake 49 years ago might finally be recovered. "It has eaten away at me for a long time," said Frank Wilcox, whose brother, Glen, was among four people killed in the crash on New Year's Day in 1965.

Glen was a star athlete in his freshman year at Roseville High School and joined a friend for his first plane ride-- a sightseeing flight over Folsom Lake.

Glen was in a red and white Piper Comanche that took off from Phoenix Field in Fair Oaks.

Friday January 1, 1965 was an exceptionally clear day in Sacramento County, but at approximately 12:30 p.m. the Comanche collided with a Beechcraft Debonair, which was also on a sightseeing flight out of Sacramento Municipal Airport.

An official NTSB crash report blamed both pilots for failing to see one another.

The tail of the Debonair was damaged by the impact but the pilot managed to return for a safe landing in Sacramento.

The Comanche, however, lost most of its right wing and plunged into the lake from an altitude of about 2,500 feet.

The body of the pilot was recovered from the lake, but the wreckage with the three other occupants inside went to the bottom.

A Roseville Press-Tribune article from 1965 listed the victims as the pilot James Marshall, Ford Marshall, Helen Gotcher, and Frank's brother Glen.

Frank believes the wreckage is located about two miles north of the dam and he's made multiple trips to the site during periods of low water.

Frank and his 11-year-old son, Shane, drove to the water's edge Monday from the Granite Bay access to take a look.

"For the past two weeks it has consumed me," he said.

Predictions that the level could soon reach an historic low have given Frank hope that his brother and the other victims might finally be given a proper burial.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has sought up to six months' time from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to resolve concerns that the US regulator had raised in its audits conducted in September and December.

The FAA had flagged the lack of full-time flight operations inspectors, inadequate training of DGCA staff.

DGCA risks the prospect of a downgrade, unless it is able to meet the US concerns to its satisfaction. The FAA would give its final report on the December audit to the DGCA in mid-January.

A senior DGCA official said that the agency is hopeful that it will not be downgraded. "There were concerns and we have sought a maximum of six months to resolve all the concerns. We are hopeful that they will give us more time, as we are working with a plan to address all of their concerns," said a senior DGCA official.

If downgraded, Indian airlines will not be able to increase flights to the US, and additional checks will be imposed on the existing flights of Air India and Jet Airways.

The DGCA has not been able to recruit full-time Flight Operations Inspectors (FOIs) due to its inability to pay them market salaries.

FOIs are former pilots, who are typically paid an annual compensation as high as Rs 1 crore. Government rules do not permit salaries of this magnitude, which is why FOIs are being hired on contract with official sanction.

"We have hired 20 FOIs and the process will continue till we reach complete hiring of 65 FOIs," said the official.

The issue of pay would be resolved once the Civil Aviation Authority is formed. The proposed authority would have powers of determining salaries.

On the issue of inadequate training, the official said that DGCA personnel are trained to handle aircraft types flown by scheduled commercial airlines. It is operators such as private jets that pose a problem as they have several types of aircraft.

The official added that the DGCA has formulated new rules where the onus of training its personnel for various aircraft types lies with the private jet operators. "The other concern on lack of on-the-job training to our employees have also been addressed, as we have prepared a training schedule and format for our employees and the training has begun," the official said.

In a related development, DGCA is sending a team of officers to Malaysia next week to inspect and certify cockpit and cabin crew training facilities of AirAsia India. The airline plans to set up similar facilities in India.

After stamping my passport, he kept looking at me and the picture in the passport. He asked me how I keep my mustache brushed and laughed, says Sujeev Kumar.

Sharjah: Officials at the Sharjah Department of Naturalisation and Foreign Affairs are investigating a case in which a passport control official allegedly retained a passenger’s passport because he did not like the latter’s mustache. Brigadier Dr Abdullah Bin Sahoo, Director-General of the department, said they will study CCTV images to check whether the passenger’s allegations are correct and will then take action.

Sujeev Kumar, a software engineer, who flew from Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, in India arrived in Sharjah on Friday. Kumar said that the passport control officer told him he would return the passport if he shaved off his mustache.

He claimed that the officer stamped his passport, but did not return it. “After stamping my passport, he kept looking at me and the picture in the passport. He asked me how I keep my mustache brushed and laughed,” said Kumar.Serious joke

Assuming it was a joke, the passenger was surprised when the immigration officer continued to ask questions about his mustache in a serious tone, making comments to his colleagues and other passengers waiting in the queue. Kumar said he did not understand the comments as the officer, who was an Arab, was speaking in Urdu. He said he does not understand Urdu.

“He finally told me: ‘If you agree to shave off your mustache, I will let you to go’ and kept my passport with him,” said Kumar. Taking even that as a joke, Kumar asked for his passport back again, but was surprised when he was ignored.

“He kept my passport and told me very seriously again to remove my mustache if I wanted it back and called the next person in line,” he said.

Confused and slightly embarrassed, Kumar told the officer that he would not comply with his request and asked to speak to a superior officer. “I started arguing with him and only after asking to speak to his superior officer he returned my passport and allowed me to proceed,” he said.

The incident, which the resident refers to as unnecessary harassment, left him humiliated and embarrassed, Kumar said. He said there is nothing unusual about the style of his mustache, which he keeps trimmed. “I have lived in the UAE for more than nine years, and I have never faced such a situation before — it was very unusual,” said Kumar.

Former Airport Director Jerry Orr officially retired from the newly formed airport commission after helping build Charlotte Douglas International Airport for the last four decades.

Orr announced his decision earlier this month.

In a letter, he said he hoped leaving his position will help resolve the ongoing dispute over who should run the city's airport.

Interim Aviation Director Brent Cagle will take his title.

Eyewitness News uncovered claims in the legal battle over police protection at the airport.

In September, more than a dozen airport officers filed a lawsuit claiming discrimination and less pay.

Anchor Allison Latos dug through new documents that argue the city reneged on its plans to treat airport police as equals, once the state tried to take the airport away.

In new court documents, the attorney for airport police officers outlined new claims against the City of Charlotte.

More than a dozen airport officers are suing saying they've been mistreated and under paid.

They said it all stems from the fight between the city and state for control of the airport, especially since the airport officers worked for Orr who supported a regional commission in charge.

The filing claims since the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department took over airport security in 2012, there are, "...three tiers of pay for police officers working side-by-side doing exactly the same work... the city had announced its plan to fully credit plaintiffs' police experience on the CMPD pay scale and treat them as equal officers."

The documents state now the city won't recognize officers' work at the airport for their police experience.

One officer told Eyewitness News on Tuesday, he would be forced to attend the academy and start over as a cadet after more than a decade at the airport.

The city has defended the lesser pay by telling courts that Charlotte could save money by using airport officers, "To perform minor police-related or administrative functions similar to functions provided by TSA personnel."

The city wanted the lawsuit tossed, but the new filings fight to keep it alive.

“We
received word from Evergreen EAGLE late last night that they were
ceasing operations at all of their locations,” said Dan Landson, a
Southwest Airlines spokesman in Dallas, in a statement e-mailed Monday.

The
ground handling enterprise had continued generating income as
Evergreen’s cargo airline parked planes and amassed debts and default
judgments. Evergreen sold its helicopter division earlier this year to
pay down debt. Smith has been selling off land from an agricultural
subsidiary to raise cash.

Smith said Dec. 19 that another division -- Evergreen Trade,
which carves up planes for parts sales -- had been doing well, along
with Evergreen’s nonprofit aviation museum and water park. But an
employee said that Mike Hines, head of the parent company, Evergreen
International Aviation, told staff members in a conference call Monday
that the Trade division would close Tuesday. Employees say the Trade
division has been largely inactive, lacking money for aircraft
purchases.

The museum and water parkremain open, but creditors are selling two planes on display and the
owner of the giant Spruce Goose wooden plane is seeking final payment
for the flying boat.

Therefore EAGLE’s closure leaves the
privately held Evergreen group with few apparent assets for creditors,
even as Smith tries to save the airline by converting the Chapter 7
liquidation into a Chapter 11 reorganization.

Smith has not
returned repeated phone calls since Dec. 22 for comment. Hines did not
return a call Monday concerning EAGLE and Evergreen Trade.

Jens
“Jay” Schulz, a former Evergreen International Airlines employee at New
York’s JFK who works at a courier company, said he received an e-mail
Monday from a Southwest Airlines cargo representative concerning EAGLE’s
shutdown in Milwaukee.

“Very sorry for the trouble and
inconvenience this sudden news causes,” the Southwest Airlines e-mail
said. “Unfortunately Southwest Cargo management did not receive word
from Evergreen until late last night that they were ceasing cargo
handling operations at all locations including MKE.”Schulz is a
plaintiff in a federal class-action suit seeking back wages and benefits
from Evergreen. He said Southwest Airlines informed customers that
EAGLE had stopped accepting outbound freight.

“We are working towards resuming freight operations at MKE as soon as possible,” the Southwest Airlines cargo rep wrote.

Landson,
the Southwest Airlines spokesman, said EAGLE provided cargo handling
solely in Milwaukee for the airline, which had used the service for
about 18 months.-- Richard Read

NTSB Identification: ERA14FA077 14 CFR Part 91: General AviationAccident occurred Thursday, December 26, 2013 in Biglerville, PAProbable Cause Approval Date: 04/06/2015Aircraft: PIPER PA-30, registration: N8372YInjuries: 2 Fatal.NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.Before the flight, the pilot obtained weather information for an airport near the departure airport and for an airport about 275 miles south along his route of flight. He did not file a flight plan, did not receive any other services for the accident flight, and departed in night visual meteorological conditions. According to GPS and air traffic control data, the airplane was flying on a southwesterly heading before it turned right. It subsequently turned left and then right before it entered a descending left turn and impacted terrain. Examinations of the airframe and engines revealed no preimpact mechanical malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation. Further, there was no evidence of a medical impairment that would have affected the pilot's performance. A review of the plot’s logbooks revealed no entries for night or instrument flight in the year before the accident.A National Weather Service observation from about 15 miles southwest of the accident site showed rapidly changing conditions with a band of snow moving across the region at the time of the accident. In addition, the next observation showed a lowering ceiling that was overcast to broken from 3,200 to 2,800 ft above ground level; snow started falling about 26 minutes after the accident. Considering the weather conditions around the time of the accident, it is likely that the pilot inadvertently encountered instrument meteorological conditions in light snow with no visible surface lights and, as a result, had to transition to relying solely on the instruments. Given these conditions, the pilot’s limited instrument and night experience, and the pilot’s maneuvering, it is likely that he experienced spatial disorientation and subsequently entered a descending left turn and lost control of the airplane.The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:The noninstrument-rated pilot's spatial disorientation after inadvertently encountering instrument meteorological conditions at night and his subsequent loss of airplane control.HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn December 26, 2013, about 0530 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-30, N8372Y, was destroyed following an inflight break up, and impact with terrain near Biglerville, Pennsylvania. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the flight. The certificated private pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The flight originated from Bloomsburg Municipal Airport (N13), Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, around 0445, with an intended destination of Summerville Airport (DYB), Summerville, South Carolina. According to witnesses, the airplane was flying "low" and the engine noise was "loud." One witness reported that he heard the engine "miss" once, then the engine "revved up," and a few seconds later he heard the sound of impact. Another witness stated that when he heard the engine "spike."Radar tracking data that was obtained from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Harrisburg Approach Control Radar facility located in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The radar data indicated that, the airplane was flying on a southwesterly heading at an altitude around 10,000 feet mean sea level (msl). Then around 0525, the airplane descended to 7,400 feet msl. At 0527 the airplane entered a left turn and descended. A few seconds later the radar target completed a 180 degree turn and the data indicated a 2,000 foot per minute descent and a 7.5 degrees per second turn rate. The last radar data, located in/near the accident location indicated that the airplanewas at 2,700 feet msl and a recorded ground speed of 179 knots. PERSONNEL INFORMATIONAccording to FAA records, the pilot held a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land and multiengine land, and a third-class medical certificate issued on October 31, 2013, which included a restriction of "must wear corrective lenses for near and distant vision." The pilot's logbook was recovered from the accident site and it listed a total of 196.1 hours of flight time. It also indicated that the pilot recorded a total of 12.3 hours of flight time at night, 1.2 hours of flight in actual instrument conditions, and 3.8 hours of flight time in simulated instrument conditions. In addition, there were 4.5 hours of flight time is the past 12 months, of which 4 hours occurred between December 20, 2013, and December 25, 2013. AIRCRAFT INFORMATIONAccording to FAA records, the airplane was issued an airworthiness certificate in 1967 and was registered to the pilot on June 18, 2012. It was equipped with two Lycoming IO-320-series, 160- horsepower engines. It was also equipped with two 2-bladed Hartzell controllable pitch propellers. At the time of this writing, the maintenance logbooks had not been located. However, a receipt for maintenance performed on the airplane included an annual inspection that was dated November 18, 2014. METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATIONAn observation site from a National Weather Service source for Fountain Dale (RYT), Hamiltonban, Pennsylvania, located approximately 15 miles southwest of the accident site, at the time of the accident, showed rapidly changing conditions during the period with a band of snow moving across the region. The RYT weather observation at 0453 indicated wind from 220 degrees at 3 knots, visibility 10 miles, ceiling overcast clouds at 7,000 feet above ground level (agl), temperature minus 4 degrees C, dew point minus 8 degrees C, and an altimeter setting 30.22 inches of mercury.The RYT weather observation at 0553 indicated wind calm, visibility 10 miles, ceiling overcast at 3,200 feet agl, temperature minus4 degrees C, dew point minus 9 degrees C, and an altimeter setting of 30.21 inches of mercury.The RYT weather observation at 0608 indicated calm wind, visibility 3 miles in light snow, ceiling broken at 2,800 feet, overcast at 7,000 feet, temperature minus 4 degrees C, dew point minus 8 degrees C, and an altimeter setting of 30.20 inches of mercury. In addition, the remarks section stated that snow began at 0556.According to the Astronomical Applications Department at the United States Naval Observatory, the official moonset was at 1224, the official beginning of civil twilight was at 0659, and official sunrise was at 0729. The phase of the moon on the day of the accident was waning crescent, with 38 percent of the moon's visible disk illuminated. A search of Flight Service Station records revealed that the pilot requested weather information and Notice to Airman (NOTAMs) on the day of the accident for Williamsport Regional Airport (IPT), Williamsport, Pennsylvania, and Farmville Regional Airport (FVX), Farmville, Virginia. The pilot did not file a flight plan and did not receive any other services for the accident flight.The weather reported at IPT, which was approximately 27 miles northwest of the departure airport, around the departure time, indicated wind from 090 at 8 knots, visibility 1 ¾ statute mile, light snow, clouds overcast at 2,600 feet agl, temperature minus 4 degrees C, dewpoint minus 7 degrees C. WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATIONThe airplane impacted the ground and came to rest inverted. The wreckage path was oriented on a 179 degree heading and the debris path began about 2,350 feet prior to where the main wreckage came to rest. The main wreckage was oriented on about a 180 degree heading. Several pieces of airframe skin were located in the field leading up to the main wreckage. The first piece of airframe skin was located approximately 2,350 feet prior to the main wreckage. First responders reported an odor similar to 100LL in the field where the main wreckage was located.The nose landing gear was located in the vicinity of and was separated from, the main wreckage. The left and right engines were separated from the main wreckage, embedded in the field, and located approximately 10 feet from the main wreckage. When they were removed from the ground, fuel and oil were present in the craters. One propeller blade was located in the field approximately 400 feet from the main wreckage and its associated propeller hub was located in the field approximately 500 feet from the main wreckage . The other propeller blade was not located. The second propeller was located about 50 feet aft of the main wreckage. Both blades remained attached to the propeller hub and flange. Both spinners were separated from the engines and located in the field along the debris path. The outboard 6 foot of the right wing was located along the debris path about 600 feet from the main wreckage in the field. The inboard approximate 10 feet remained attached to the fuselage and exhibited crush damage. The right wing tip, was separated and located approximately 50 feet from the outboard section of the right wing. The right aileron remained attached to the right outboard section of the wing through one attach point. The right flap remained attached to the right wing through all attach points. The right wing fuel cap remained intact and seated, however that section was separated from the right wing. The right main landing gear remained attached to the right wing in the retracted position. The aft section of the fuselage was separated at the aft pressure bulkhead. The rudder, vertical stabilizer, and inboard section of the left stabilator was located about 200 feet from the main wreckage. The right section of the stabilator was located approximately 675 feet from the main wreckage in an area of trees. The forward section of the left stabilator remained attached to the empennage. The main spar of the stabilator remained attached to the aft bulkhead. The rudder remained attached to the vertical stabilizer through all attach points and exhibited impact damage. The outboard approximate 6 foot of the left wing was found separated from the fuselage and located in a field about 600 feet from the main wreckage. The left aileron was located in the field approximately 200 feet from the left outboard section of the wing. The inboard approximate 10 feet of the left wing remained attached to the fuselage and exhibited crush and impact damage. The forward section of the left wing was separated from the left wing spar and located approximately 10 feet forward of the main spar. The left inboard section of the flap remained attached to the inboard section of the wing through the outboard attach point. Aileron control cable continuity was confirmed from the base of the control column to the associated fracture points out to the aileron attach point. The aileron cable exhibited tensile overload at all fracture points. The main landing gear remained in the up and in the retracted position. The cockpit exhibited extensive crush damage and was separated from the fuselage. The engine controls were intact. The throttle levers and propeller levers were in the midrange position. Flight control continuity was confirmed from the cockpit to all flight control surfaces through the respective tensile overload breaks. The air driven attitude indicator was disassembled and the gyro and gyro housing exhibited rotational scoring, consistent with operating at the time of impact. The electric turn and bank indicator was disassembled and the internal gyro and housing exhibited rotational scoring, consistent with operating at the time of impact. The fuselage came to rest inverted in a corn field and it exhibited extensive impact damage The inboard section of the main wing spar remained attached to the fuselage. All seats were separated from the fuselage. The fuel selector valves were located in the fuselage and were disassembled. Both fuel selectors contained a fluid that tested positive for water using the water detecting paste. MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATIONAn autopsy was performed on the pilot on December 27, 2013, by Forensic Pathology Associates, Allentown, Pennsylvania. The autopsy findings included the cause of death as "multiple injuries."Forensic toxicology was performed on specimens from the pilot by the FAA Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The toxicology report stated no ethanol or drugs were detected in the liver. TESTS AND RESEARCH Engine ExaminationsBoth engines were examined at Anglin Aircraft Recovery in Clayton, Delaware. They were removed from storage and placed on pallets prior to the investigation team arrival. Upon arrival, the team determined which engine was the left and the right. The examination revealed that there were no mechanical malfunctions or abnormalities that would have precluded normal operation with either engine.A detailed engine examination report for each engine are available in the official docket of this investigation. Electronic DevicesA Garmin GPSMAP 696, an iPhone, a Motorola Droid X, and an iPad were found in the main wreckage area, retained, and sent to the National Transportation Safety Board Recorders laboratory for data download. Data was unable to be extracted from the iPhone nor the Motorola Droid X due to impact damage. The Garmin GPSMAP 696 contained data that was recorded at the time of the accident flight. The data began at 0439 and continued until 0528. The last recorded data points indicated that the airplane was on a direct course to DYB, made a slight right turn approximately 45 degrees away from the track toward DYB at 0524. Then, it made a turn back to the left approximately 90 degrees, to the right approximately 90 degrees, and finally, it banked to the left and continued the bank and began a descent until the data points ended. The last data point recorded a ground speed of 141 knots.ADDITIONAL INFORMATIONSpatial DisorientationAccording to the FAA Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3), "Night flying is very different from day flying and demands more attention of the pilot. The most noticeable difference is the limited availability of outside visual references. Therefore, flight instruments should be used to a greater degree.… Generally, at night it is difficult to see clouds and restrictions to visibility, particularly on dark nights or under overcast. The pilot flying under VFR must exercise caution to avoid flying into clouds or a layer of fog." The handbook described some hazards associated with flying in airplanes under VFR when visual references, such as the ground or horizon, are obscured. "The vestibular sense (motion sensing by the inner ear) in particular tends to confuse the pilot. Because of inertia, the sensory areas of the inner ear cannot detect slight changes in the attitude of the airplane, nor can they accurately sense attitude changes that occur at a uniform rate over a period of time. On the other hand, false sensations are often generated; leading the pilot to believe the attitude of the airplane has changed when in fact, it has not. These false sensations result in the pilot experiencing spatial disorientation." According to the FAA Instrument Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-15), a rapid acceleration "...stimulates the otolith organs in the same way as tilting the head backwards. This action creates the somatogravic illusion of being in a nose-up attitude, especially in situations without good visual references. The disoriented pilot may push the aircraft into a nose-lowor dive attitude."The FAA publication Medical Facts for Pilots (AM-400-03/1), described several vestibular illusions associated with the operation of aircraft in low visibility conditions. Somatogyral illusions, those involving the semicircular canals of the vestibular system, were generally placed into one of four categories, one of which was the "graveyard spiral." According to the text, the graveyard spiral, "…is associated with a return to level flight following an intentional or unintentional prolonged bank turn. For example, a pilot who enters a banking turn to the left will initially have a sensation of a turn in the same direction. If the left turn continues (~20 seconds or more), the pilot will experience the sensation that the airplane is no longer turning to the left. At this point, if the pilot attempts to level the wings this action will produce a sensation that the airplane is turning and banking in the opposite direction (to the right). If the pilot believes the illusion of a right turn (which can be very compelling), he/she will reenter the original left turn in an attempt to counteract the sensation of a right turn. Unfortunately, while this is happening, the airplane is still turning to the left and losing latitude.Pulling the control yoke/stick and applying power while turning would not be a good idea–because it would only make the left turn tighter. If the pilot fails to recognize the illusion and does not level the wings, the airplane will continue turning left and losing altitude until it impacts the ground."

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

On December 26, 2013, about 0530 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-30, N8372Y, was destroyed following an inflight break up, and impact with terrain near Biglerville, Pennsylvania. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the flight. The certificated private pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The flight originated from Bloomsburg Municipal Airport (N13), Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, around 0445, with an intended destination of Summerville Airport (DYB), Summerville, South Carolina.

The debris path was approximately 2,350-feet-long oriented on a heading of about 195 degrees. The main wreckage, which consisted of the fuselage, engines, and the inboard section of the wings, was oriented on about a 180 degree heading. The outboard section of the left and right wing, rudder, horizontal stabilizer, left and right stabilator, and left aileron were located in a field about 1,000 feet north of the main wreckage. The major components of the airframe were located and control continuity was confirmed to all flight control surfaces. First responders noted an odor at the site of the main wreckage which they described as similar to 100LL aviation fuel.

Both propellers and spinners had separated from the engines. The engines were co-located with the main wreckage and were imbedded in the ground. The engines and propellers were retained for examination at a later date.

A Garmin 696 handheld global positioning system, an iPad, and two cell phones were located, removed, and sent to the NTSB Recorder Laboratory for download.

Miranda Rose

Michael Chester Bronzburg

Michael
Chester Bronzburg, age 46, 9 Hollow Road, Catawissa, died early
December 26, 2013 in an airplane crash in Butler Township, Adams County,
PA.

Born in Bloomsburg on July 27, 1967, he was the son of Lee
E. and Linda (Linn) Bronzburg of Catawissa. His early life was spent in
Catawissa and he returned one year ago after living in a variety of
places. He was a 1985 graduate of the Columbia Montour Vocational
Technical School.

Mike was employed by Grand River Enterprises of
Canada, as a technical consultant to cigarette factories. Earlier he
was employed by the Phillip Morris Cigarette Co., in Virginia.

Surviving
in addition to his parents is his companion, Doreen (Artley) Rose, with
whom he resided; three children: Michael Bronzburg, San Jose, Calif.;
twins, Camden and Harley Bronzburg, Summerville, South Carolina; a
brother, Lee E. Bronzburg, II, Berwick; a sister, Lori, wife of Larry
George, Catawissa; and two nephews: Tyler Capece and Auston Capece, both
of Catawissa. There are also several aunts, uncles and cousins.

Funeral
services will be held in the Dean W. Kriner, inc., Funeral Home &
Cremation Service, 325 Market St., Bloomsburg, 0n Monday, Jan. 6, 20124,
at 11 a. m. with Msgr. Robert E. Lawrence, pastor of St. Columba
Ctholic Church officiating.. Interment will be in New Rosemont Cemetery,
Espy. There will be a time for visitation with family on Sunday from
3-6 p. m.

The family will provide flowers. Memorials may be sent
to the Bronzburg-Rose Memorial Fund, c/o First Columbia Bank & Trust
Co., 232 East Street, Bloomsburg, PA 17815 Source: http://www.krinerfuneralhomes.com

Miranda Rose

Miranda
Rose, age 17, 9 Hollow Road, Catawissa, died early Thursday, December
26, 2013 in an airplane crash in Butler Township, Adams County.

Born
on August 10, 1996 at the Bloomsburg Hospital, she was the daughter of
Doreen (Artley) Rose, with whom she resided and Michael Pegg, and his
wife Kelley, White Haven.

Miranda was a student in the eleventh
grade at Southern Area High School, Catawissa. In addition to attending
school she had been employed by the Elysburg Rod & Gun Club and at
the Arctic Igloo, also of Elysburg.

She was a member of St. Columba Catholic Church, Bloomsburg and a former Girl Scout.

Miranda
was very active in her school where she played soccer and basketball.
She also was in the school chorus, took part in Encore; the Future
Business Leaders of America (FBLA); model United Nations; the yearbook
staff; and prom committee.

In addition to attending high school,
she was currently taking college courses at Bloomsburg University and
Luzerne County Community College.

Miranda was an animal lover and had a good heart. She also enjoyed four wheeling; kayaking; photography and shopping.

Surviving
in addition to her parents, is a sister, Megan Rose, at home; her
maternal grandfather, Kenneth Artley, and his companion, Mahala
Valencik, Catawissa; her maternal grandmother, Virginia M. "Jean"
Artley, and her companion, James Hunsinger, Mainville; her paternal
grandparents, Thomas and Pat Mohr, Bloomsburg; several aunts and uncles ;
and her boyfriend, Bryan Artman, Marion Heights.

Funeral
services will be held in the Dean W. Kriner, Inc., Funeral Home &
Cremation Service, 325 Market St., Bloomsburg, on Monday, Jan. 6, 2014
at 11 a. m. with her pastor, Msgr. Robert E. Lawrence officiating..
Interment will be in New Rosemont Cemetery, Espy. There will be a time
for visitation with the family on Sunday from 3 - 6 p. m.

The
family will provide flowers. Memorials may be sent to the Bronzburg -
Rose Memorial Fund, c/o First Columbia Bank & Trust Co., 232 East
Street, Bloomsburg, PA 17815. Source: http://www.krinerfuneralhomes.com

BIGLERVILLE, Pa. (WHTM) - The Adams County coroner has identified two people who died in a plane crash near Biglerville last week. Coroner Patricia Felix said DNA results confirmed the victims are 17-year-old Miranda Rose and 46-year-old Michael Bronzburg, both of 9 Hollow Road in Catawissa, Pa.

Both died of multiple injuries, and their deaths were ruled accidental, according to Felix.

Investigators said the plane, a Piper PA-30 registered to Bronzburg, went down in a cornfield in the 800 block of Old Carlisle Road in Butler Township the morning after Christmas and scattered debris over a quarter-mile.

The plane had taken off from Bloomsburg Airport about 45 minutes earlier.

The News Item of Shamokin reported that Bronzburg and Felix, his girlfriend's daughter, were flying to South Carolina to pick up Bronzburg's 11-year-old twins for the holidays.

Neighbors in the area heard what sounded like engine trouble before the crash, according to police, but federal officials continue to investigate.

The National Transportation Safety Board plans to release a preliminary report this month, but a final report will take a year or more.

Michael Chester Bronzburg, 46, of Catawissa, is believed to be one of the victims from the plane crash Thursday near Gettysburg.

BIGLERVILLE,
Pa. - Authorities in central Pennsylvania say it may take another
week to positively identify the two victims of a plane crash in a
fruit-farming region outside Gettysburg last week.

She said relatives of two people whose IDs were found in the
wreckage provided dental records to authorities last week, but DNA
samples are being tested for positive identification.

Officials said the plane went down near Biglerville about 45
minutes after taking off from Bloomsburg Airport early on the morning
after Christmas.

The
National Transportation Safety Board plans to release a preliminary
report in January, but a final report will take another 12 to 18 months.

---------

GETTYSBURG
- The two victims killed in a small plane crash early Thursday near
Gettysburg are believed to have been Catawissa residents.

The
families of Miranda Rose, 17, and pilot Michael Chester Bronzburg, 46,
both of 9 Hollow Road, submitted brief death notices to The (Bloomsburg)
Press Enterprise, saying they each died in "a plane crash near
Biglerville, Adams County."

Miranda was a junior at Southern Columbia Area School District.

Investigators
have not released the identity of the victims, even though autopsies
were performed Friday; Adams County Coroner Pat Felix said she is
awaiting the results of DNA testing.

However, since Thursday,
condolences from friends and family have been pouring onto the Facebook
page of Doreen Rose, who is Miranda's mother and Michael's girlfriend.

Efforts
to reach Doreen Rose and Lori Bronzburg-George, the pilot's sister,
were unsuccessful Sunday, but the women told The Press Enterprise
Saturday authorities asked about Bronzburg's dental records and the
coroner warned them it didn't look good.

"To see the pictures, you know there was no chance," Bronzburg-George told the Bloomsburg newspaper.Picking up family

State Trooper Rob Hicks said the 5:30 a.m. crash scattered debris over a quarter-mile area, and the plane was destroyed.

The
twin-engine Piper PA30 Twin Comanche took off from the Bloomsburg
Airport at 5 a.m., traveled 80 miles and crashed into a field 1.5 miles
east of central Biglerville 30 minutes later. The family told The Press
Enterprise the two were traveling to South Carolina to pick up
Bronzburg's 11-year-old twins, Camden and Harley, for the holidays.

According
to reports from The Gettysburg Times, Federal Aviation Administration
(FAA) and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) personnel placed
bright pink flags along a trail of wreckage. No large pieces of debris
were visible outside the perimeter authorities established around the
crash site.

Autopsies conducted Friday at Lehigh Valley Hospital
in Allentown indicated the deaths were caused by "multiple injuries, at
this point," Felix told The Gettysburg Times.

The deaths were
likely instantaneous, Felix said Thursday. She said retrieval of remains
was complete about 4 p.m. Thursday. There were no survivors.

No fire or explosions were reported and it is unclear if weather played a part in the crash.

'Anticipating the worst'

Southern
Columbia Superintendent Paul Caputo said the school administrators will
meet this morning to discuss the district's strategy when students
return to school Thursday.

"As far as we're concerned, it is
unconfirmed, but we're anticipating the worst and we want to make sure
we have the proper support in place in the event the news is confirmed,"
Caputo said.

High School Principal James Becker said the school
crisis team will likely include four district counselors, a social
worker, a psychologist and several administrators who have personal
experience with tragedies. They will be available for any student who
needs to grieve during the school day.

"We'll have people
available and try to make a horrible situation bearable until we get
back to some kind of normalcy," he said. "It's not going to be easy."

Becker,
who said he would only talk about Miranda's presumed death in an
unconfirmed fashion, said the girl was artistic, was involved in school
musicals and took photographs for the yearbook. She was a smart student
who took honor courses and was taking college courses through Luzerne
County Community College.

She was a "bright, young, energetic and
lively person," he said. "She had a bright future. She was on her way
to do some great things."

Her family told The Press Enterprise
she wanted to work as a diplomat in a foreign country or become the
first female president of the United States.

Becker said Miranda would always say "good morning" to him in the hallways.

"There was always a pleasantry about her," he said.

Bronzburg, a 1985 graduate of Columbia-Montour Vo-Tech, got his pilot's license and bought his first plane two years ago.

Funeral
arrangements for Bronzburg and Miranda have been entrusted to the care
of the Dean W. Kriner Inc. Funeral Home & Cremation Service, 325
Market St., Bloomsburg, according to the Bloomsburg paper.

Cape Coral police officers arrested a man for pointing a laser at a pilot over the weekend. Officers were dispatched to a home on the 3000 block of SW 26th Court in reference to a complaint of an unknown subject pointing a laser at an aircraft Saturday night.

Officer say a laser was pointed at a commercial aircraft which was inbound to Southwest Florida International Airport. While responding to the complaint, the Lee County Sheriff's Office Aviation Unit said three people were outside a residence and had also pointed a laser at the unit's chopper.

Cape Coral Police Department officers then responded to the home and began questioning the subjects.

Initially, the suspect, later identified as Stephen Plock, told officers he wasn't aware of a laser at the home. The officer asked him if his nephew and son were playing with a laser -- to which Plock responded that he would ask them.

When questing Plock's nephew, he told the officer "uncle Stephen came out and began using a laser," according to reports.

Plock later admitted to pointing the laser at telephone poles and houses, and later added he had also pointed it toward the sky.

He was arrested and charged with pointing a laser at a driver or pilot.

A market report on Gary/Chicago International Airport says charter and niche airlines hold the most promise for the airport's immediate future, with shuttling professional sports teams and ferrying oil rig roughnecks among the possibilities. The report, prepared in early 2012, also wades into the controversial discussion of rebranding the airport, possibly with a new name, and regionalizing the Airport Authority Board.

The Market Assessment and Strategy Development for the airport was prepared by international airport planning firm Landrum & Brown as a followup to a strategic business plan it developed in 2010, said Bill Hanna, executive director of the Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority.

"As the economy comes back, the whole Chicago aviation setup will be primed for realignment," Hanna said. "It will be time for us to take advantage as the economy comes back."

The market assessment maintains the Gary airport could tap into the big market for charters in the greater Chicago region, with other airports in the region flying a total of about 450,000 charter passengers per year.

Gary also could tap into unique niche markets within the charter industry such as professional and college sports teams and the transport of laborers and skilled workers to the Alberta oil sands in Canada, according to the market assessment.

The report states the prognosis is poor for now for attracting even the regional subsidiaries of legacy carriers like Delta Airlines or United Airlines. It also says traditional low-cost carriers like Southwest remain a stretch for the airport. But low-frequency niche airlines could find Gary attractive.

The market assessment when complete will cost the RDA about $210,000 to $230,000, with the money coming out of contingency funds available in a $30 million grant the RDA extended to the airport expansion project, Hanna said.

He said both the RDA board and the Airport Authority Board will be asked to approve the market assessment sometime in the future.

The marketing assessment was discussed by the previous Airport Authority Board, which was replaced by an entirely new authority board in September. Hanna said the new board has been focused on the runway expansion and public-private partnership effort, so he didn't know if they had yet reviewed the assessment.

Gary Airport Interim Director B.R. Lane could not be reached for comment.

Last week, the Gary Airport Authority voted 5-1 to approve terms of agreements with a Dulles, Va.-based company for operating the airfield and managing development there for the next 40 years.

Whereas the strategic business plan prepared in 2010 found the Gary airport was not ready for privatization, the marketing plan doesn't mention the subject.

The market assessment does state finishing the $166 million airport expansion project is absolutely critical to the airport's success, just as the strategic business plan did three years ago.

The market assessment states the timing is not right for renaming the airport or restructuring the airport authority board. But is spends many pages discussing the possible advantages of both.

The rebranding talked about in the market assessment does not necessarily call for renaming the airport, Hanna said. He acknowledged that has been a contentious issue. Rebranding could include other facets of the airport such as changing public perception.

In some ways the market assessment already has been overtaken by events on the ground.

It spends many pages extolling the virtues and synergies that Allegiant airline brought to the airport. It even describes the possibility of upgrading the twice-weekly Allegiant flights to Orlando-Sanford International into twice-daily flights and expanding service to destinations as far distant as Hawaii.

In August, Allegiant ceased flying from Gary, once again leaving the airport without regularly scheduled airline service.

BANGOR, Maine (NEWS CENTER) -- A North Port, Florida woman was arrested at Bangor International Airport on Sunday after police say she became unruly.

Investigators say on December 29 at about 3:30 p.m. there were a number of passengers at BIA who were waiting to be able to board an Allegiant Air flight to Florida that had been delayed due to weather.

Officer Chris Desmond was in the secure area and saw a woman throwing some personal items around and loudly spouting profanity about the delayed flight. He then observed other passengers get up and move away from her.

Officer Desmond told 54-year-old Janet Dinardi that she would need to stop calm down and stop swearing, as she was making other passengers uncomfortable.

She allegedly continued to use profanity -- now directed at Officer Desmond -- and was warned to stop or she would be arrested for Disorderly Conduct.

Police say Dinardi continued to be loud and verbally abusive. At that time, an Allegiant Air staff member informed Dinardi and Officer Desmond that due to Dinardi's level of intoxication and her unruliness, they would not allow her to board the flight.

Officers escorted Dinardi out of the secured area and to the first floor of the terminal, where they informed her she would need to leave the building.

Dinardi refused to leave the building despite several warnings, and was eventually placed under arrest for Criminal Trespass. She was also charged with Disorderly Conduct as she continued to be loud and disruptive.

Passengers on Delta Air Line flight awaiting take off from Mineta San Jose International Airport had a long Tuesday morning after fog, a leak in a bathroom, and an engine tail pipe burst delayed the flight scheduled to Minneapolis.

Airport spokeswoman Rosemary Barnes said flight 1056 was initially delayed due to fog along with nearly a dozen other inbound and outbound flights throughout the early morning.

Following reports of a bathroom leak, the plane returned to Terminal A's Gate 7 when ground personnel observed an engine tailpipe fire.

San Jose Fire Capt. Cleo Doss said fire crews arrived to the scene just before 8 a.m.

"Upon arrival the fire was contained to the engine," and didn't spread to the plane's cabin, Doss said.

All three incidents are believed to be unrelated to each other.

Passengers were immediately evacuated from the flight, and no one was hurt, officials said.

A Delta representative said the aircraft is being evaluated by technicians while customers are being re-accommodated on other flights.

During takeoff, the cockpit canopy became unlatched and started to lift. The pilot grabbed the canopy pull cord to prevent it lifting further, but the aircraft entered a shallow dive, resulting in the nose and right hand landing gears striking the runway. The nose gear collapsed and the propeller disintegrated after striking the ground.

A private airplane experienced a landing gear malfunction Monday night while touching down at Pensacola International Airport, causing officials to close the airport for about three minutes as well as close down the airport’s north to south runway for several hours, an airport official said.

Pensacola International Airport Director Greg Donovan said that between 7:30 and 8 p.m. last night, the landing gear of a Mooney single-engine aircraft gave way as the airplane attempted to land.

The pilot, the only one onboard the aircraft, was uninjured, Donovan said. The plane skidded partway down the runway on its belly, causing minor damage to the aircraft and no damage to the runway.

Emergency responders were at the scene of the crash within minutes, and the airport was closed to air traffic for about three minutes while officials assessed the severity of the incident.

Officials determined that runway 17, the north to south runway, would have to be temporarily closed with the aircraft was removed. The east to west runway remained open.

“Everyone trains for this,” Donovan said. “We have teams on call 24 hours a day from the Pensacola Police Department, the Pensacola Fire Department, maintenance teams…They all did very well and responded very quickly.”

The plane cleared from the runway at 11:22 p.m., Donovan said.

He said it had been more than 10 months since a plane had landed at the airport with its gear up.

The Mooney aircraft was traveling from Fort Lauderdale to Houston.

The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the cause of the landing gear malfunction.

On Saturday, December 28, 2013, Cayman Airways flight KX105,
departed Owen Roberts International Airport (ORIA) for Cayman Brac at
6:40pm, and experienced an anomaly with one of the aircraft’s flight
control systems approximately 10 minutes into the flight.

The crew remained in complete control of the aircraft at all times as
the other flight control systems remained fully operative. As a
cautionary measure however, Captain Timothy Grizzel elected to
immediately return to ORIA, and requested that emergency services be on
standby. The aircraft accomplished a normal approach and landed safely
without incident. A replacement aircraft was positioned and prepared for
service, and after the passengers and baggage were transferred, the
flight then continued uneventfully to Cayman Brac.

Cayman Airways President and CEO, Fabian Whorms, said: ‎”As always,
we at Cayman Airways place the safety of our operations and our
passengers as our highest priority and we are thankful for the patience
and understanding of our passengers. We know that the presence of
emergency services for the landing has caused concern for our passengers
and the community at large, but we would like to give an assurance that
the emergency services requested to be on standby by the Captain, was
purely to ensure the safest environment possible for landing. We commend
Captain Grizzel and his crew for their professional and safe handling
of the event.”

http://www.radiocayman.gov.kyEmergency crews were on standby on Saturday evening after a Cayman
Airways flight to the Brac was turned around because of a problem with
one of the aircraft’s flight control systems.

Flight KX105 experienced issues around 10 minutes after take-off at
6.40 p.m, the airline said in a statement on Monday. The captain elected
to return immediately to Grand Cayman as a “cautionary measure,” the
statement added.

“The crew remained in complete control of the aircraft at all times
as the other flight control systems remained fully operative.”

The aircraft made a safe landing at the Owen Roberts International
Airport and the passengers were transferred to another plane, completing
their journey to Cayman Brac shortly before 10 p.m.Trilby Lingard, who was on board the plane, said passengers had heard an audible “pop” around 10 minutes into the flight.

“The pilot came on and said there was a mechanical problem and we
were going back to Grand Cayman. Everyone was just quiet after that till
we landed. It was horrifying,” she said.Cayman Airways President and CEO Fabian Whorms praised the pilot, Captain Timothy Grizzel, for his handling of the incident.

He said, “As always, we at Cayman Airways place the safety of our
operations and our passengers as our highest priority and we are
thankful for the patience and understanding of our passengers.“We know that the presence of emergency services for the landing has
caused concern for our passengers and the community at large, but we
would like to give an assurance that the emergency services requested to
be on standby by the captain was purely to ensure the safest
environment possible for landing.”

Caren Thompson Palacio, of the Cayman Islands Airports Authority,
said there had been a standby of emergency crews at the airport as a
“precautionary measure.” She said emergency services “stood down” when
the plane landed without incident at around 7 p.m.

BHOPAL/NEW DELHI: NRI
businessman Sam Verma's small private plane's landing on a highway near
Betul on Tuesday threatens to open a can of worms for aviation
authorities in Delhi.

While the industrialist —
whose Indian private pilot license (PPL) lapsed way back in 2001 —
claims he wasn't flying on Tuesday, it has now emerged that he allegedly
did that many times in the past. And that too without informing air
traffic control!

Ironically, the directorate general of civil aviation (DGCA) pointed this out in a letter to the state government.

"Private
pilot license of Sam Verma was valid till October 12, 2001. He has been
flying (Piper Navajo aircraft, VT-ERX) without valid license... He
(Verma) flies from Betul to Rewa, Satna and various other uncontrolled
airfields. Air traffic control (ATC) Bhopal, Indore, Nagpur and regional
executive director, Airports Authority of India, Mumbai have also been
intimated in this regard. Now a days he is flying the aircraft between
uncontrolled airfields without concurrence/ intimation to ATC," DGCA's
deputy director (airworthiness) R B Soni wrote in a letter to Madhya
Pradesh's principal secretary (aviation) on June 24, 2013.

Worryingly,
Soni added that the aircraft then did not have a valid certificate of
airworthiness (C of A) when Verma reportedly flew it. "It is pertinent
to point out that aircraft having valid C of A and pilot license are
regulatory requirement in general and for the prevention of life and
property of the state," the letter said. TOI has a copy of this letter.
Soni was later transferred to Bangalore.

When contacted, Verma,
alleged: "Soni had demanded money for giving certificate of worthiness
for my aircraft. I complained to aviation minister Ajit Singh. Soni's
letter was an act of revenge."

He said: "I was not flying the
aircraft on Tuesday and my pilot, Jacob, was. I have never broken the
law. The DGCA official was transferred as he (allegedly) wanted money.
He was to be suspended but was only transferred. Aviation ministry and
DGCA officials in Delhi know this. They conducted an investigation after
I complained to them." Verma reportedly holds a license issued by the
American Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Betul district
collector R P Mishra has ordered a separate probe against Verma.
Reportedly, the same plane had made a similar landing on the same
highway on December 23.

DGCA sources said Verma continued to fly
despite that and they were forced to helplessly watch him flout the law
because of his 'connections'. Giving an example of his 'clout', a source
said: "Soni asked who would fly the plane for inspection. When he found
that Verma — who did not have a valid Indian flying licence — would be
doing the test flight, he refused to grant the same. Later Verma
complained to aviation authorities in Delhi and the official was
transferred," said a source.

Verma got a valid C of A for his
plane. He added that the only issue relevant here was that high towers
erected illegally close to his airstrip made the landing there
difficult.

Meanwhile, state police and the district
administration have initiated a probe to ascertain the reasons behind
landing of Verma's plane on the highway in Betul.

"We are
collecting information from intelligence bureau and civil aviation
department. Legal action will be taken if valid documents are not
found," Ajay Sharma, inspector general (Hoshangabad range), told TOI.

Indian officials and bystanders gather around a light aircraft after it
landed on a public highway in Betul, some 50km south of Bhopal in the
central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, on Dec 31, 2013. A wealthy
businessman who landed his private plane on a highway in central India
this week had been flying without a license, reports said on Thursday,
Jan 2, 2014.

Betul: Owing to heavy winds, a private Cessna plane was forced to land on the National highway 69 near Betul in Madhya Pradesh. There has been no damage to life or property in the incident.

According to initial reports, the plane is owned by an industrialist from Betul.

One
of the employers said, "The wind direction changed suddenly and the
plane was unable to land on the airstrip. So we informed the police who
cleared the highway. The plane circled the area until the highway was
cleared and then the plane made an emergency landing."

Soon after
the incident conspiracy theories have started doing the rounds as to
why was the aircraft not landed on the airstrip which was in close
vicinity. Locals are alleging that the industrialist owner has had some
problems with the National Highway authorities.

Bhopal: A four-seater private plane made an emergency landing on a
busy highway at Betul, 200 km from Bhopal, in Madhya Pradesh today.

The aircraft, owned by NRI businessman Sam Verma, landed at
Betul-Nagpur National Highway 69 at around 9.30 am this morning,
blocking the traffic for more than 30 minutes.

Police rushed to the spot and diverted the busy traffic.

The plane was supposed to land at the runway inside Mr Verma’s tyre
factory nearby, but strong wind in the opposite direction forced the
pilot to land on the highway. Only the pilot of the aircraft, Jacob, was
on board when the plane landed on the highway.

“The plane was going to land on my private runway near the four-lane
highway, but as the wind was too strong, the pilot had to make an
emergency landing on the national highway. I have complained to the NHAI
as the towers of their toll plaza near my runway create problems in
take-off and landing of my aircraft,” Mr Verma told NDTV.

The aircraft was on the highway for hours as Mr Verma insisted senior
officials of the NHAI come and meet him at the spot. However, after a
while the cops finally convinced him to move the aircraft. The traffic
during this period was diverted to other lanes.

The area’s Collector told NDTV RK Mishra said, “We will now get the
incident probed by the DGCA, and also will be reopening 2007 case
against Sam Verma, whose runway is partly built on encroached government
land.”

The administration is now talking of a probe into the cause of this risky landing.

http://www.ndtv.comA private Cessna aircraft of an NRI industrialist made an emergency
landing on National Highway 69 near Betul in Madhya Pradesh around
9.35am on Tuesday after strong winds foiled the pilot’s bid to land at
an airstrip.

Industrialist Sam Varma was not in his 4-seater aircraft, which had
taken off from the airstrip on his company — Michigan Rubber (India) Ltd
— premises in Betul, about 175 km southeast of state capital Bhopal.

“Pilot Jacob informed me about the difficulty in landing. There was a
strong wind from the east side. The landing was done successfully with
the support of the (Betul district) administration,” Varma told
mediapersons.

“Fortunately, nobody was hurt in the process.”

Varma said the aircraft could not land from the other end because the
National Highways Authority of India had raised 110-foot pillars at
that side near the airstrip while building NH 69.

The pilot made at least three attempts to land at the company
airstrip, but had to make the rounds in the air for almost an hour
before the administration could line up the emergency runway on the NH,
with precautionary measures in place.

The pilot’s initial suggestion to Varma was to go for an emergency
landing in a nearby water reservoir, but Varma, an aviation expert
himself, got in touch with the district administration to chart the
highway landing.

NH 69, which runs from Obaidullahganj (MP) to Nagpur (Maharashtra) is
being four-laned. The administration chose a stretch and stopped
traffic to facilitate the landing. Fire tenders and a police contingent
were also deployed.

Varma said all necessary permission had been taken for the flight. On
the pilot, he stuck to the name Jacob, without sharing details.
“Friends often fly the plane. There is nothing wrong in it.”